Scientists are taking their cues from fungi in the digestive tracts of cows, goats and sheep in the search for new ways to create sustainable fuels and medicines.
A genetic modification in fungi is more common than has been thought, offering scientists a new tool as they explore the use of fungi to convert biomass to fuels, chemicals and enzymes.
PNNL is collaborating with three small businesses to address technical challenges concerning hydrogen for fuel cell cars, bio-coal and nanomaterial manufacturing.
PNNL scientists have developed a system to convert methane into an energy-rich substance that can be used as the basis for biofuels and even feed for cows that create the gas in the first place.
Pointing the finger at chemical criminals: Several scientists from PNNL and other institutions will discuss new methods and approaches at the American Chemical Society's national meeting in San Francisco April 2-6.
PNNL is leading a new, approximately $6 million project to develop a new streamlined process to quickly pare down heaps of algae species into just a few that hold the most promise for making biofuel.
PNNL is supporting today's announcement by the White House about efforts related to soil sustainability by sponsoring research projects through two research initiatives.
Thanksgiving is a time for us to reflect on our many blessings, and being a part of the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is one for which I am especially grateful.
In fast-neutron reactors, fuel is sealed in ~7 millimeter diameter steel tubes called cladding. When a high-energy "fast" neutron strikes an atom in the steel, it can knock the atom out of place, like a cue ball striking another billiard ball. This leaves two types of damage in the metal: an empty spot where the atom was, and the displaced atom wedged between other atoms. Over time, these defects typically drive undesirable rearrangement of the microstructure, potentially reducing the life of the cladding.
As a Department of Energy national laboratory, you would expect Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to perform research in chemistry, physics and engineering in support of our energy, environmental and security missions.
Scientists have made a "vitamin mimic" - a molecule that looks and acts just like a natural vitamin to bacteria - that offers a new window into the inner workings of living microbes.
